Bumblebee amusement device



Nov. 21, 1961 J. E. BROWN BUMBLEBEE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 11, 1959 'IIIIIIIII'zL? INVENJLOR. JOHNNIE E. BROWN BY 7 W ATI'OB/VEY United States Patent 3,009,285 BUNIBLEBEE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Johnnie E. Brown, New York, N.Y. (334 Howard Ave., Brooklyn 33, N.Y.) Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,422 2 Claims. (CI. 4651) This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to an animated audible toy.

Ordinarily, toys that are both animated and audible are preferred, especially when it is possible to perform different tricks and stunts therewith. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a manually operated animated and audible amusement device that can be manipulated during use to perform various feats, and may be used to demonstrate different types of s '1 s.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an audible amusement device that emits a bumblebeelike sound and which may be manually controlled to perform various stunts.

Still an additional object of the present invention is to provide an animated toy of the type described that can be conveniently manufactured from any available material, and which can be produced in large quantities at a relatively low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a toy made in accordance with the present invention in actual use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the wing element of the assembly shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the wing shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a coupling member forming a part of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of certain parts of the wing shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a tie member forming another part of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side view of the handle member and associated coupling element.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 to 4 thereof, an amusement device 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a handle .12 having a hand grip at one end and a spherical fastener 14 integral with the opposite end. The fastener 14 defines an annular groove 18 with the adjacent end of the handle 12 upon of which a larger loop 16 of an S-shaped ring or fastener is rotatably supported. The opposite smaller loop 20 of the S-shaped fastener is received within a loop 26 formed by turning one end of a flexible tie member back upon itself and securing a female fastener 22 with a male fastener 24, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The opposite end of the flexible tie member 25 is also provided with a set of female and male fasteners 22, 24 that fasten together in the manner shown after the adjacent end is passed through an opening 28 in a ferrule type coupling member 30. This ferrule coupling 30 is pivotally mounted upon the shank portion 34 of a spherical fastener 36 having a threaded shank 40 threadedly engaged within one end of a wing 42. This wing 42 has air foil surfaces 44 on opposite sides thereof for effecting rotation of the wing as it is rotated through the air.

It will be noted that the spherical head portion 36 and bearing shank 34 are rotatable within the central opening 32 of the ferrule coupling 30, while the S-shaped ring 15 is rotatable about the intermediate bearing portion 18 of the handle '12 and associated sperhical coupling 14. Thus, in actual use, the wing 42 is suspended vertically upon the tie member 25 and the free hand is used to start the wing 42 in motion, such as by a snaping motion of the fingers. Immediately following this initial rotation of the wing, the handle 12 in the other hand is used to rotate it through the air about the coupling 14 in the handle upon the tie member 25. During the rotational movement of the tie member and wing about the handle 12, the initially manually started spinning of the wing 42 is sustained, thus imparting an audible signal resembling the sound of a bumblebee. Of course, the pitch of the audible sound will vary with the speed with which it is rotated through the air. If desired, various designs and stunts may be performed by manipulating the handle 12 through loops, figure eights, and the like. The first coupling 14 at the end of the handle 12 is provided with a recessed type slot 13 for receiving a screw-driver for threading the threaded portion 11 thereof into the end of the handle 12. However, the other spherical coupling member 36 associated with the wing 42 is provided with a screw driver type slot 38 for employing a conventional screw driver during assembly thereof. All of the parts are preferably formed of metal or plastic, and can be conveniently disassembled and assembled for replacement purposes.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An amusement device comprising, in combination, a handle, a wing of non-uniform cross sectional configuration, tie means extending between said handle and said wing, first coupling means rotatably securing one end of said tie means to said handle, second coupling means, said second coupling means rotatably securing the opposite end of said tie means to said wing, said handle including a grip portion at one end and an annular bearing portion at the opposite end, said first coupling means comprising an S-shaped ring having a loop rotatably supported upon said annular bearing, said tie member comprising a flexible length of material, fastening means integral with each end of said length of flexible material for releasable engagement with each of said first and second coupling means, said wing comprising a blade having an inclined air foil surface on opposite sides, and a spherical terminal portion defining a rotatable hearing at one end.

2. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second coupling comprises a ferrule having a central opening rotatably receiving said spherical bearing therethrough, and an opening in said ferrule receiving the opposite end of said tie member therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,672 King Sept. 14, 1875 337,871 Robinson Mar. 16, 1886 2,222,677 Main Nov. 26, 1940 2,307,905 Ament Jan. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 132,481 Great Britain Sept. 18, 1919 171,071 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1934 

